Denver Nuggets 2026-27 NBA Preseason Preview

· Yahoo Sports

The 2025-26 season was a disappointing season for the Denver Nuggets. After a solid playoff run the year prior, and after the addition of Cameron Johnson, expectations were through the roof.

Visit mwafrika.life for more information.

However, Denver was ravaged by injuries all season, and some of their key players, including Johnson and Christian Braun, struggled to get going. Those injuries continued in the playoffs, as the Nuggets were without Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson. As a result, they suffered an embarrassing first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who were without Anthony Edwards.

Afterward, fans started calling for the heads of everyone on the team. Even team centerpieces like Gordon and Jamal Murray were heavily featured in trade rumors. In fact, Denver’s president Josh Kroenke even said that “everything is on the table” except trading Nikola Jokic.

Denver faithful expected big moves all offseason. Fans were desperate to get off of Braun’s massive five-year, $125 million contract. Additionally, they were hoping to see some splashy moves that could land them superstars like Jaylen Brown or Kawhi Leonard. Instead, constrained by a salary-cap nightmare of their own making, the Nuggets kept their starting core while sacrificing depth.

The Nuggets now enter the 2026 season with the same starting lineup that underperformed when it mattered most last year. The only main difference is that they couldn’t bring back their bench pieces. Thus, for the first time in the Jokic era, fans are struggling to rationalize a championship run.

Nuggets’ Biggest Offseason Loss: Peyton Watson

Denver’s mismanagement of the Peyton Watson situation is a microcosm of how the last several months have gone for them. Watson was proving to be a budding star, averaging 14.6 points per game on 41% from three. Naturally, with his rookie contract ending, he wanted a pay bump.

The Nuggets foresaw this issue back in the fall of 2025, but they still refused to act. So when summer rolled around, Denver couldn’t afford to pay him. Instead, they lowballed him with $17.5 million over four years, knowing that he wanted closer to $25 or $30 million.

They could not free up money for him. They could not get him to sign their offer or take a cheap qualifying deal with a promise of a more enticing deal the year after.

Their only option was a sign-and-trade. Hence, they had zero leverage, so interested teams knew that the longer they wanted, the less they would have to give up to get Watson. In the end, they traded him for a 2031 first, a 2032 second, and Julian Reese.

Naturally, Nuggets fans were upset. Denver is actively trying to compete for another championship while Jokic is still in his prime. However, trading away a key piece for a first-rounder five years from now and little else seemed counterintuitive. Now factor in the Nuggets not being able to afford their crucial shooter, Tim Hardaway Jr., who averaged 13.5 points per game.

Denver fans’ frustrations are valid. At a time when they should be doing everything they can to win, the Nuggets’ front office appears to be moving in the wrong direction.

Nuggets’ Biggest Offseason Addition: DeMar DeRozan

This offseason was undoubtedly an aggravating one for Nuggets fans. However, adding DeMar DeRozan could prove very fruitful. Denver had almost no money to spend by the end of the offseason, and yet their bench desperately needed scoring. So, signing a six-time All-Star who just finished averaging 18.4 points per game to a veteran minimum was a no-brainer.

Throughout the Jokic era, the Nuggets have lacked a true bench scorer. Westbrook had his moments, and Hardaway Jr. was crucial, but DeRozan is different. Most of Westbrook’s scoring came in the paint, and Hardaway Jr. wasn’t much of a creator. DeRozan can run the offense, pass, thrive in the midrange, and get to the basket.

Denver’s starting lineup is still solid. Assuming Braun bounces back, they should still be a strong unit. Their main concern is the bench. However, with DeRozan at the helm, they should still have plenty of offensive production. While he averaged under 20 points per game last year, he averaged over 20 in the 12 seasons prior.

Clearly, DeRozan still has the goods, and by running the bench, he could be a clear candidate for Sixth Man of the Year.

Outside of DeRozan, the Nuggets kept most of their roster the same. Lonnie Walker IV and Alpha Diallo may get limited minutes on the wing. Marvin Bagley III and rookie Trevon Brazile should help hold it down in the paint. Ultimately, though, DeRozan was Denver’s big swing this offseason. Their success, or lack thereof, this season could largely depend on him.

Nuggets’ Best Case Scenario Outcome

The good news for the Nuggets is that they still have a three-time MVP on their team. Even though hopes for Denver were higher the last few years, as long as they have Jokic, they always have a chance.

Plenty could go right for the Nuggets this season. Murray just had a career year averaging over 25 points per game. Johnson finished last season strong and shot 43% from three. Meanwhile, Gordon has been fantastic whenever he’s on the court. In fact, despite their woes, the Nuggets finished the year first in points per game and three-point percentage.

Murray could replicate his season, and Johnson could keep hitting from three. Denver would also need Gordon to stay healthy and for Braun to bounce back, which is possible. If all that happens, they could once again have an incredibly formidable starting lineup.

As for the bench, they will need DeRozan and Spencer Jones to have monster years. DeRozan will need to have a 6MOTY-caliber season. Meanwhile, Jones will need to handle huge minutes while knocking down threes and playing elite defense. Once again, though, this is all possible.

In this reality, the Nuggets could finish top four in the West. No matter how well this season goes, getting by the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, or Minnesota Timberwolves will be a daunting feat.

Thus, while anything is possible, a fantastic season for Denver likely ends around the Conference Semi-Finals.

Nuggets’ Worst-Case Scenario Outcome

Yes, lots could go well for Denver, but the inverse is just as true. Nuggets fans have plenty of fears, and in this hypothetical, those fears come to fruition.

Murray falls back to 20 points a game, Braun continues to struggle offensively, and Gordon keeps suffering leg injuries. Despite a solid offense, they get picked apart defensively, and coach David Adelman’s inexperience shows. Meanwhile, the bench two-man game of Tyus Jones and Bagley III fails dramatically, while DeRozan can’t click in the system.

In a loaded Western Conference, Denver gets no grace. The Thunder, Spurs, and Timberwolves finish ahead, which will likely happen regardless. However, in this world, they get jumped by teams like the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers. Finishing around sixth, they draw a matchup against a team like the Timberwolves, where they are first-round exits once again.

Nuggets’ Biggest Question Headed into 2026-27

Ultimately, the regular-season results in the best- and worst-case scenarios are not very different. The Nuggets have not finished outside the top six since the 2017-18 season. With Jokic, they always have a chance. So the regular season doesn’t matter much to them.

The real question mark hanging over the Nuggets is regarding how they will look come playoff time. Will Jamal Murray regain “Bubble Murray” status, or will he struggle as he has in recent years? Will Gordon be able to stay on the court, or will he miss time for the third straight playoffs?

Despite injuries and some struggles, Denver had a fantastic regular season. Their third-place finish showed it, their stats showed it, and the media’s expectations showed it. However, the whole team didn’t come to play.

They can handle weird fits this year. They can handle injuries and some poor defense. The regular season doesn’t mean what it does for many other teams. The only factor that will determine the Nuggets’ season is how ready Coach Adelman can get his team once April rolls around.

The post Denver Nuggets 2026-27 NBA Preseason Preview appeared first on The Lead.

Read full story at source